Holiday Support Program

2018 “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS……”

Holiday Support Program

Help give someone a merry Christmas!

Thank you to all that helped make our 2017 Holiday Support Program the success that it was! With so many more in need each year, we know that we could not have assisted the families we did without your help. Our goal again this year is to have every family member we have elected to sponsor through this program receive at least one gift this Christmas and thanks to sponsors and supporters like you assisting us by:

Please let us know if you, and maybe your friends, family, or co-workers would like to help us provide families and children in the community with a happier holiday in 2018! Our organization knows that without your support, we would not be successful in our efforts to improve the quality of life for the low-income families that we serve. Your help was and is very much appreciated in making the holiday season brighter and encouraging a more positive outlook for low-income families and communities.

We want you to know that, unlike most holiday programs, we encourage a 12-month commitment from those families that receive support through our Adopt-A-Family program component. This commitment involves enrollment in our L.E.A.P. Program (if not already enrolled) and allows us to help them plan and to track their progress toward improving their own conditions for a more secure quality of life. During that time, we work with the families on short- and long-term goal-setting and taking action steps, and financial management, plus any other life-skills training necessary to help them elevate. We do not believe in giving handouts, but in giving a hand up! Thank you again for your hand up to us and to the program’s families!

A special thanks to our 2017 Holiday Support Program supporters and sponsors

FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION – WAINWRIGHT CHILD SUPPORT

DOLLAR GENERAL #14348
the SA group
the Hutchinson sisters
the Eichelberger family
S. Silverstein
the N. Thomas family
Nina & Dre
L. Richards

the P. White family
All anonymous supporters
All HSP volunteers
All Stocking Stuffers

R.A.A.!’s 2018 Holiday Support Program Stories

Family ID #4815

Senior disabled couple is trying to provide a stable home for their two grandsons. Grandmother has more restrictive physical limitations than grandfather, but always try to make sure the boys have homecooked meals waiting after school. Grandfather helps them with homework and teaches them how to fix things and work with their hands. Both boys help out around the house and when the grandfather needs extra help with the grandmother and without having to be asked most of the time. The grandparents really appreciate their grandsons for the way they have adapted to the change in their lives and would love for them to be blessed this holiday season.

Family Member

Sex

Age

Pants Size

Shirt/Dress Size

Shoe Size

Adult #1

M

63

32W/30L

Large

9 Wide

Adult #2

F

71

14

14

8

Child #1

M

9

14

12/14

7

Child #2

M

14

34W/30-32 L

Large

10

#4815 Wish List

Family – groceries, toiletries

Adult #1 – clothes, assistance with gas bill

Adult #2 – coat, boots, clothes, toiletries

Child #1 – clothes, coat, toys

Child #2 – coat, clothes, computer

Family ID #4819

Young married couple with 3 children have had a rough few years after the father broke his back and sustained head injuries in an accident. The family lost their home and even now are still struggling to find stable housing again with their limited income. Despite their setbacks, Dad believes that things will work out somehow if they just keep their faith. In the meantime, he continues to seek work that he can do within his limitations. Mom works, but loves coming back in to hearing her husband sharing his love of music with his ‘little princesses’ by strumming on a broken guitar. Their girls are everything to them and Mom and Dad hope a little holiday magic will touch them in a way that they can’t this year. Truly, Mom and Dad can use a little holiday blessing themselves.

Family Member

Sex

Age

Pants Size

Shirt/Dress Size

Shoe Size

Adult #1

M

25

28W/30L

Medium

10

Adult #2

F

25

0 or 1

Small

7

Child #1

F

6

7

5/6

2

Child #2

F

4

5

4

8

Child #3

F

18 mos.

12/18 mos.

12 mos.

4

#4819 Wish List

Family – toiletries, groceries, Lysol wipes

Adult #1 – clothes, guitar, science fiction books, graphic novels

Adult #2 – clothes, coat, gloves

Child #1 – clothes, Talking Baby Alive, bookbag, tea set

Child #2 – clothes, Baby Alive, Moana toys, head crown/tiara

Child #3 – clothes, playmat, Little Tyke toy, learning toys

Family ID #4822

Single mother decided to go back to school to earn a degree in the hopes that she’d be able to land a better paying position in her field. Two years and thousands in school debt later, she is still struggling to earn a fair wage to care for her 2 children. Mom makes sure they live modestly, but with the costs of living rising and her income barely changing, she sometimes has to rely on assistance from local pantries for food supplement and clothing for her growing teenagers. Her teens rarely complain or ask for anything extra so it would be nice if they could get one or two of their wishes granted this Christmas.

Courageous mother with teenage son hoping for a special blessing this holiday season. Son is still destined for great things despite the sudden but necessary changes Mom had to make in their lives in order to provide him with a better future. Though Mom is having a hard time with living expenses now, both she and her son smile and laugh more in their tiny new apartment than they ever did in their previous residence. She is excited about starting online evening classes and doing homework right along with her son. He’s excited about being able to decorate their apartment their way, even though Mom reminds him that they have to crawl before they can walk. It’d be great if they could have a very merry Christmas full of goodies to go with their house full of love.

Senior citizen taking care of her grandson while son attends college out of state. It takes all her social security to pay bills and she relies on pantries to supplement their food and clothing. She doesn’t mind sacrificing necessities for herself because she feels it’s important for her son to finish his schooling so that he can be better equipped to take care of his son. Her son says it’s equally important to him to finish not just to provide for his son, but to also be able to support and care for her during her retirement the way she’s doing for the two of them.

This mother of 3 uses all the income she earns working full-time trying to keep her rent and utilities paid. There is rarely much left over for things like a set of real dishes or even toiletries. Despite that mom feels her family is blessed because at least they have a consistent place to lay their heads and be together. It is this time a year, though, that she gets a little depressed because she knows she’s not going to jeopardize the security of having a home for things that are wants. She does admit it would be fantastic if just once, there was a way her children can be showered with gifts like other families are for Christmas.

Young single mother of one child that is 14 months old is having a hard time financially. Her work as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant barely pays enough to cover their basic living expenses. Not one to give up, she continues to do the best she can to provide a stable and loving home for her child. A little help now and again would be appreciated.

Mother of 3 has had a few challenging years since losing her husband. Despite being a stay-at-home mom for most of her children’s life, her family has really adapted to her having to work now. Though they are starting to rise above the hardship her husband’s death and her not having worked for a while, mom is striving to provide for her children the best she can. A Christmas blessing would be greatly appreciated.

Young widow is diligently trying to raise her child on her own while going to work full-time and trying to get settled into a new home after a sudden illness claimed her husband. And even while the pain of losing her husband of 5 years is still fresh, she manages to remain upbeat and is thankful that they had him as long as they did. Her daughter is such a bright, well-mannered child that Mom wishes she could she could provide her with some of the extras that many others take for granted. Or at least replace a few of the things they had to give up to help cover necessary expenses when she wasn’t working many hours. She is such a responsible and positive minded young lady, that it would be great if they were given a holiday blessing.

Widower was doing okay taking care of his family after his wife’s death from senseless violence. Having to downsize and needing a change, he moved his family back to St. Louis after securing employment here and a place for them to stay until he could build up the necessary time on the job and look for the perfect house to buy. Even though he earns less money now, his family was adjusting to being in a new environment until someone broke into their apartment while he was at work and took almost all their belongings, including boxes he hadn’t had a chance to unpack yet. And with no real witnesses, no security, and no chance to get insurance yet, it was just more loss. The neighbor said she figured he just had movers bringing more of his things when she saw the truck as she was leaving. A co-worker referred him to R.A.A. who helped him replace furniture items and clothes that were taken, but the mementos of his wife that he had in those boxes are irreplaceable. Now instead of saving for a house, he’s been trying to replace necessary items without getting too far behind on anything. A little holiday cheer may be just what the doctor ordered for this family.

Family Member

Sex

Age

Pants Size

Shirt/Dress Size

Shoe Size

Adult #1

M

53

36W/34L

XX-large

10 1/2

Child #1

F

16

11 Junior/8 ladies

Medium ladies

10 – 10 1/2

Child #2

M

15

18

18

10

#4755 Wish List

Family – TV, full and twin sheets/comforters, silverware, DVD player or cordless phone/answering machine

Adult #1 – gift card, athletic shoes, for some of the kids’ stuff to be replaced if possible

Young married couple with 2-year old son are trying to recover from Dad’s loss of income after having to take care of a sick parent that had no medical insurance. Mom has been picking up more stable hours at work and Dad is now working again, but they know it is going to take a while for before they can get back on track. Gifts for the holidays for a 2-year old that firmly believes that Daddy is Santa and gives “peasants” is just not in the cards for them this time around. Dad knows their little guy will be disappointed and is too young to understand why there’ll be a tree without colorful boxes for him under it, but it can’t be helped. He’d rather his family be sheltered and warm, than spending money that they don’t have and buying things they can’t afford.

Single mother and 5-year disabled son recently transitioned into permanent housing after having been homeless when the son’s disability became too much for the person they had been living with. Knowing that not everyone understands her son and his needs like she does, she does not harbor any ill-feelings toward that person. She reflects on the homelessness as just one more hurdle she had to overcome in her determination to take care of her son. And even though they don’t even a table to eat meals on or a sofa to sit on, Mom is very excited for her little family to have a place to call their own.

Mother with health issues that keep her from working now is just asking for a little help until she can get back on her feet. She is scheduled to undergo surgery after the holidays and is worried about the strain the extended time off will place on their already limited resources. Already in a home that needs to be weatherized, she hopes that she’ll be able to find a way to keep their utilities on during the winter months. Because surgeries are a scary thing even in the best of circumstances, she would like this holiday season to be an extra special one for her daughter so that she’s given something else to focus on, even if only for a little while.

Disabled grandparent now taking care of her grandchildren without any additional support. Her only source of income is barely enough to cover her living expenses and her medical needs, but she does the best she can to make it stretch far enough to provide for the children. Grandmother has gone without medication because the children needed clothes or shoes. Though she shouldn’t have to choose between her health and her grandkids, she will do it each and every time it’s necessary. The children have really settled down and starting to smile more again. It’d be nice if she had a way to keep them that way through what will be a difficult time since it’s the first holiday season without their mother. Any assistance with gifts for them would be greatly appreciated.

Organizations/Businesses are welcome to submit logos (must be .jpeg or .gif format)

Names/Logos are for inclusion on web site and in printed media

Let us know if you wish to remain anonymous

*Gift items can be new or gently used

All items, new or used, must be marked with family ID number, plus intended family member number if for specific one. (If items being given are not for any particular family or family member, just label “ANY”

Used items cannot be gift wrapped and should be as clean as possible/in working order

New items can be wrapped but must have who it is for written/labeled small buy clearly on package/bag; or our volunteers will wrap them for you

A list of any items wrapped prior to us receiving them is required. Please strictly adhere to this because this saves us from having to un-wrap items to ensure the appropriateness of the gifts for the intended. (Note: an Item Tracker form will be provided for your convenience in listing items)

We will re-label all gifts with actual names of the intended receiver prior to the families receiving them from us so that it is a more personal experience when they open their gifts on Christmas

Donors should try to provide at least 1 roll of wrapping paper even if items are wrapped

Call HSP Coordinator as soon as possible if there are furniture items being donated to arrange pick up or delivery

*Gift Cards/Cash Value Cards and Restricted Monetary Donations

Family names and contact information are considered confidential information and will not be shared. Anyone wishing to assist a family with gift cards should place the cards in a sealed envelope and sign across the seal. On the front of the envelope should be the family’s ID number (if for a particular family), card type or store name(s) and the card value amount(s). Once the HSP Coordinator receives the sealed envelope, it will then be inserted, unopened, into another envelope and delivered to the family.

Monetary donations for specific needs, e.i. utility or rent payment, can be done two ways: 1) In the form of cashier’s check, money order, or company check made payable directly to the vendor (e.i. Ameren UE) you wish to make payment to on the family’s behalf. 2) Cashier’s check, money order, or company check made payable to R.A.A.! or click DONATE below along with specific instructions on how it should be disbursed and R.A.A.! will make payment directly to vendor(s) on family’s behalf. Under NO circumstances is cash given directly to the families.

*Deadline is Sunday, December 16, 2018

All pick ups and deliveries must be coordinated through HSP Coordinator

Drop-off location / Mailing address: 1268 Ferguson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63133 Note: Any items mailed must have Family ID number included. A list of contents is required by the HSP Coordinator prior to mailing for receipt verification purposes

Though donors are strongly encouraged to meet the December 16th deadline, exceptions may be allowed by HSP Coordinator through December 21st.

Donations may be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. Please check with your tax preparer for details